|
|
|
|
Mental Health Resources Online
By Heather Slade
May 4, 2002
From the summer drought to the terrorist attacks in New York and all the everyday stressors in between, 2001 may have taken a toll on our mental health.
Wait! Before you move to something else in discomfort, take a moment to consider the resources offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The Canadian Mental Health Association is designed to "promote the mental health of all people".
To access The Canadian Mental Health Association online, type www.cmha.ca into your web browser. On this site you can access information about common mental disorders, volunteer information, CMHA policies, and media releases produced by the CMHA. There is also a lot of other information that may help you answer many questions you might have concerning mental health.
Along the left side of the screen is a yellow menu presenting several categories of interest such as "About CMHA", "Info Centre", and "Advocacy". Once you have decided on a category, click on it and you will then have other options available within that category. These options are presented in the grey menu at the top of the screen and include "Events", "Publications", "Helpful Links", and many others. Throughout the site there are various words that appear in blue: these are hypertext links, and you can click on them to access even more information.
Here are some things that you may find of interest included in the CMHA website:
* The 2001 Canadian Mental Health survey has reported that 91% of Canadians feel that maintaining mental health is very important
* Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs in some people in response to the increased number of hours of darkness during winter months
* There are many programs being created to help various groups of Canadians cope with mental illness and continue to be involved in their communities
The "Fast Facts" section answers many frequently asked questions about mental illness, including definitions, prevalence of mental illness, and seeking help. (To get there, click on "info centre" on the yellow menu and then on "fast facts" in the green menu.)
Many of us speak about the "stress" we feel in our lives. On the main page of the CMHA is a section devoted to explaining the often vague term we refer to as stress, and also providing some tips on how to manage it most effectively. There is even a free brochure on stress that you can download and print for your own reference.
Take the "stress test" to measure the current amount of stress you feel in your life, and to alert you to things you could do to help alleviate that stress. The test is located in the "Info Centre" section of the website at the bottom of the page.
Also included in this site are stories, artwork, and poetry created by people living with mental illness. This section is part of the "Emerging into Light" initiative which is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Mental Health Week, which was held from October 7-13, 2001. The goal of "Emerging into Light" is to create a symbol that informs the public about recovery and resilience, and overall, to increase awareness about the importance of mental health in hopes of further reducing the stigma that can be associated with mental illness.
This site is important to help all Canadians become aware of the importance of mental health. It can be a subject that gets neglected, yet is so prominent in our lives. Mental health can influence many aspects of our lives from our physical health to our relationships. Take a few minutes to explore this site and increase your awareness about some mental health issues. It is well worth the time it takes.
Heather Slade is a former Community Access Program Service Team member who operated from the Mount Elgin branch of the Oxford County Library.
|
|
